A build process may be the process by which an individual and/or an organization builds, compiles, and deploys software. The build process for many computer systems is a manual process. In particular, the process of developing, deploying, and executing mainframe computer jobs is a manual, burdensome process. Developers must manually determine how to build, compile, and deploy their work within the development environment. Additionally, developers must be aware of and manage build/compile components for each individual source file within a project. The manual development process, especially a mainframe development process, is costly and inefficient. Development resources that could be directed toward software development are consumed by management of the build, compilation, and deployment processes.
A data driven approach to automating the build and deployment processes that utilizes functionality of a configuration management tool may alleviate the burden placed on developers who must manage the build and deployment process. This data driven approach may also increase efficiency by bridging the gap between PC based development tools and various development models, including development models that include mainframe-based build cycles.